Congressman Chuck Edwards stopped by Franklin Town Hall on Saturday morning to present a $4,320,000 check to the town.
The funds will be used to help cover the cost of a new clear well and two pump replacements at the town’s water treatment plant. The clear well will increase the plant’s storage capacity from 56,000 gallons to 250,000 gallons. Town Manager Amie Owens said the extra capacity will be helpful during maintenance of the water basins as it will allow the town to flow the stored water into the system without requiring water restrictions or extended water treatment cycles.
The new high-service pumps will be rated for 2 million gallons per day.
In October, the Town Council approved a resolution to use $3,113,019.75 from retained earnings to pay for the project and finance the remainder. The project has already received approval from the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality and is expected to be completed by October 2027. Harren Construction received the bid for the project.
Edwards thanked the town staff for putting together a good list of projects he could present on the House floor and say, “Franklin, North Carolina, needs you and deserves the federal assistance because everybody here’s been paying their taxes forever.”
Owens said she had requested $2 million in funding three years ago. However, after Hurricane Helene hit Western North Carolina federal funds were diverted to recovery needs. In the meantime, the cost of the project increased so Owens increased her request.
“It was definitely worth the wait,” she said.
Mayor Stacy Guffey thanked Owens for her persistence in pursuing funds for the project. He also thanked Public Works Director Bill Deal and Water Treatment Plant Supervisor Kyle Pocquette for their “work on the ground.”